Comparative Analysis of the Expression of Genes Involved in Fatty Acid Synthesis Across Camelina Varieties

Elisa Gómez, Gregorio Hueros, David Mostaza-Colado (), Aníbal Capuano, Mercedes Uscola and Pedro V. Mauri
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Elisa Gómez: Agro-Environmental Research Area, Madrid Institute for Rural, Agricultural, and Food Research and Development (IMIDRA), El Encín, A-2 Highway, Km. 38.200, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
Gregorio Hueros: Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Genetics Area, Cellular Biology and Genetics Building, University of Alcalá (UAH), Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
David Mostaza-Colado: Agro-Environmental Research Area, Madrid Institute for Rural, Agricultural, and Food Research and Development (IMIDRA), El Encín, A-2 Highway, Km. 38.200, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
Aníbal Capuano: Camelina Company España S.L., Camino de la Carrera 11, Fuente el Saz de Jarama, 28140 Madrid, Spain
Mercedes Uscola: Department of Biology and Geology, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry, Rey Juan Carlos University, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933 Madrid, Spain
Pedro V. Mauri: Agro-Environmental Research Area, Madrid Institute for Rural, Agricultural, and Food Research and Development (IMIDRA), El Encín, A-2 Highway, Km. 38.200, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-23

Abstract: Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz, a native European oilseed crop of the Brassicaceae family, is notable for its short life cycle, making it well-suited for crop rotation and diversification. Its seeds contain a high content of oil (36–47%) that is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3, Ω-3) and linoleic acid (LA, C18:2, Ω-6). This oil has diverse industrial applications, including low-emission biofuels, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, biolubricants, bioplastics, and cosmetics. We analyzed the expression of seven key enzymes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis across nine C. sativa accessions at three stages of silique development using highly efficient qRT-PCR assays designed for the target genes and a normalizing control. Our detailed expression analysis revealed significant variation across varieties, with only the gene FAB2c exhibiting genotype-independent expression, indicating a constitutive and essential role in monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) biosynthesis. Other genes showed significant interactions between the variety and developmental stage, highlighting the combined influences of genetic background and silique maturation on gene regulation. V18 emerges as particularly promising, exhibiting elevated expression of genes linked to PUFA and VLCFA biosynthesis—traits of significance for food, biofuel, and industrial applications. These findings, together with the developed qRT-PCR assays, provide valuable tools for selecting Camelina varieties with optimized genetic profiles, highlighting the potential of harnessing natural transcriptional diversity for crop improvement.

Keywords: Camelina sativa; fatty acid synthesis; gene expression; PUFAs; qRT-PCR (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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